London, June 27: The Indian men’s hockey team, Olympic bronze medalists, showcased an impressive performance in the FIH Pro League on Friday, defeating arch-rivals Pakistan 7-1. The match took place at the Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre in London, where India made a remarkable comeback after initially trailing 0-1.
India maintained dominance throughout the game, scoring at regular intervals during the second and third quarters. Goals were netted by Sukjeet Singh (19th minute), Harmanpreet Singh (26th minute), Hardik (34th minute), Jugraj Singh (35th minute), Abhishek (41st minute), Raj Kumar Pal (43rd minute), and Dilpreet Singh (53rd minute). Pakistan’s lone goal came from Abu Mahmood, who converted a penalty corner in the 13th minute.
This victory marks India’s 17th consecutive win against Pakistan, reinforcing the team’s supremacy under the leadership of Harmanpreet Singh. With this win, India climbed to 7th place in the points table, surpassing Spain. India has accumulated 17 points from 15 matches, while Spain has 16 points from the same number of games. Spain faced a shootout loss against Argentina in their last match, while this was Pakistan’s 15th defeat in the tournament.
During the match, India entered Pakistan’s circle 36 times and earned 13 penalty corners, converting three into goals. In contrast, Pakistan entered India’s circle 18 times but failed to score from open play, converting only one of their six penalty corners into a goal.
Hardik Singh and Manpreet Singh delivered outstanding performances in the midfield, while Abhishek, Dilpreet Singh, and Mandeep Singh consistently pressured Pakistan’s defense. Hardik Singh was named ‘Player of the Match’ for his exceptional display.
Pakistan initially took the lead in the 13th minute with Abu Mahmood scoring from a penalty corner, putting India behind 0-1. India had three penalty corners in the first quarter but failed to capitalize on them.
In the second quarter, India made a stunning comeback. Sukjeet Singh equalized in the 19th minute, followed by a brilliant drag flick from captain Harmanpreet Singh in the 26th minute, giving India a 2-1 lead. Indian players applied continuous pressure on Pakistan’s defense with long, precise passes.
In the second half, India completely dominated the match. Hardik Singh scored from a penalty stroke in the 34th minute, extending the lead to 3-1. Just a minute later, Jugraj Singh added the fourth goal with a swift counter-attack, making it 4-1. The Indian team continued their aggressive play, with Abhishek scoring in the 41st minute from a fantastic pass by Sukjeet Singh, bringing the score to 5-1.
In the 44th minute, Raj Kumar Pal converted a rebound from Harmanpreet Singh’s drag flick, increasing the lead to 6-1. Dilpreet Singh capped off the scoring in the 54th minute with a superb move, netting India’s seventh goal. In the final minutes, Pakistan earned two penalty corners, but India’s defense, led by veteran Manpreet Singh, held strong, denying Pakistan any chance of a comeback.
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SM/AS
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